Why Are the Chinese So Proud of China?

Key Learning Points (Preview):

国庆节 (Guóqìng jié) n. National Day
黄金周 (Huángjīn zhōu) n. golden week
爬山 (Páshān) v. mountain hiking
阅兵仪式 (Yuèbīng yíshì) n. the military parade

October first is "国庆节 (Guóqìng jié) National Day" in China, and commemorates the establishment of present-day China. "节 (jié)" means "festival;" "国庆 (guóqìng)" is short for "国家喜庆之事 (guójiā xǐqìng zhī shì) the country's joyous moments." In ancient China, the biggest and most joyous event for the whole country was the coronation of a new emperor. In modern China, "国庆节 (Guóqìng jié) National day" refers to the birth of the People's Republic of China.

"国庆节 (Guóqìng jié) National Day," lasting for seven days, besides the Spring Festival, is the longest holiday of the year. During this holiday, people will spend lots of money on entertainment or shopping, so this holiday week is also referred to as "黄金周 (huángjīn zhōu) golden week." "黄金 (huángjīn)" means "golden," "周 (zhōu)" means "week." The four biggest activities for "黄金周 (huángjīn zhōu) golden week" are traveling, shopping, getting married and watching the military parade.

1. Traveling
Taking advantage of having seven days off from work or school, many people choose to travel to another "城市 (chéngshì) city" or country. Enjoying activities such as "爬山 (páshān) climbing mountains," tasting local snacks and enjoying the beautiful natural scenery of China are all also popular choices.

2. Getting married
Many young lovers choose to get married on National Day, because ... Read More

There are words that we use in Chinese mostly on dramas or TV shows because their meaning is pretty negative for daily life. This Chinese idiom phrase is one of those that I have never actually used when talking to a person, but I hear it on TV all the time. The phrase is: "狼心狗肺 (lángxīngǒufèi) the heart of wolf and lungs of dog."

Its meaning is derived from the characters that it uses:

狼心狗肺 (Lángxīngǒufèi): cruel and unscrupulous; be brutal and cold-blooded; ungrateful and heartless.
狼 (Láng): the wolf.
(Chinese Fable Story: Wolf Is Coming.)
心 (Xīn): heart; mind, intelligence.
(Know What Does "心塞" Mean in China!)
狗 (Gǒu): dog.
(Do You Know What Does "单身狗" Mean in Chinese?)
肺 (Fèi): lungs.

This idiom is used to describe a particularly cruel or cold person, who has no empathy or sympathy for others. In dramas and TV shows, this type of person is usually a villain of some sort.

So how did this idiom come to be?

Well, legend has it that there was a folk doctor who lived during the "Warring States Period," who was called Bian Que. He often went to Funiu Mountain to treat his local patients. One day, as he was walking to Funiu Mountain, he was walking up a hillside on the northeast side of the Dongliubei and something caught his eye. It looked to be the body of a person, but this person was lying very still. As he walked closer he could see the person was dead. When he examined the body he determined the man had very recently been attacked. He could see the man was still breathing and knew there was hope he could be saved. He just needed a new heart and lungs. Bian Que knew his own heart and lungs were not healthy enough to save him.

Suddenly, a wolf passed by them. Bian Que attacked the wolf, used a scalpel to kill the wolf and take its heart. He opened the man’s cavity and put the heart into it.

Then he saw a dog walk past. He ran after it, caught and took its lungs. He put the lungs into the man’s cavity and suddenly the man began to breathe. He was alive!

You would think the man would be very grateful to Bian Que, but after the rescue... Read More

Quiz:
1. Which of the following behaviors has the characteristic of "狼心狗肺 (lángxīngǒufèi)"?